WASHINGTON (AP) - Mitt Romney's camp is downplaying last night's triple-state win by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in Colorado and Minnesota's caucuses and Missouri's primary.

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, the director of Romney's congressional endorsements, released a statement as the votes began showing his candidate had lost in Blunt's home state.

He says, "I congratulate my friend Rick Santorum on his win tonight. But the fact remains that this is a nonbinding primary, meaning Missouri's delegates are still very much up for grabs."

Romney's political director, Rich Beeson, released a memo earlier in the day noting that even Sen. John McCain lost 19 states on the way to capturing the GOP presidential nomination in 2008.

Romney says he still plans to become the Republican presidential nominee.

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